Age

How old is the song? Here are the "eras" that I use: Pre-1970 hymn, 1970-1989, 1990-2000, 2000-2009, 2010-current. I bet people will send you cards if you use a song here and there from the 1990-2000 era.

(my actual working sheet!)

Key

If they're all in F or Ab, your guitar players may hate you. But also "What range does the song hang out in?" Is it just a high song that we need to stretch to reach? Does it do the infamous octave jump? Is it really comfortable (read: never goes above a B)?

Structure

All Verse-PreChorus-Chorus-Bridge? Three Verses? A Verse and Chorus? Just a Chorus?

Source

Hillsong, Integrity, CCM Artist, Gateway, Jesus Culture, "we wrote it," etc. Part of the reason to ask this is that some songs are written from congregational worship, for congregational worship. The melodies and rhythms are interesting yet simple enough for a choir to sing. Some are written for a pop artist to emote. If your goal is to have the congregation singing, this is important to note.

Direction

About us, about Him, horizontal, vertical, etc. Look for words like "I, we, Him, He." Is this a song encouraging each other, exalting God, lingering in intimacy with Jesus, declaring truth? Is this "we to God" or "me to God" or "God to us" or...?

Tempo

Slow, medium, fast. But in addition to its Beats Per Minute (actual tempo), what kind of energy does this song have? Can you clap to it or does it inspire clapping? Would drums save it...or ruin it?

Difficulty

Will it take 3 minutes or 45 to rehearse? Will the team be really focused on the music to be able to pull it off? (read: not able to worship) Will the congregation be awed into spectatorship? Can the congregation sing their hearts out on it?

Simplicity

Are there any "non-cool" songs that you can just uncomplicatedly sing to Jesus? There have been times (if I don't check this grid) when I get to the end of the set and realize that I've just been working really hard pulling off the great songs...and missed an opportunity for intimacy with Jesus. One way to rate this is to ask yourself "how well would this one work if we did it a cappella?"

Familiarity

Rate each song from 1 (new) to 10 (amazing grace). Not "How well does the team know this?" but "How well does the congregation know this?"

Language

Would grandma sing "I don't care what the world throws at me now...it's gonna be alright!" (Salvation Is Here) or would grandson sing "Here I raise mine Ebenezer, hither by Thy help I'm come" (Come Thou Fount)? Songs are written is someone's vernacular. Will they connect with us?

Frequency

How many times have we sung this song in the last twelve months?

Court

We can think of songs moving us toward intimacy with God. Some people use a "temple" analogy to describe this. They may start in the outer court (Sing To The King). They progress to the inner court (You Are Good). And end up in the holy of holies (Lord I Need You)

So here's how this looks in an actual set: